A PATCH of land in Headley Down, deemed “wasteland”, is to see the swapping of brambles for birdboxes and fly-tips for flowers as it is turned into a nature reserve.

The neglected woodland, part of a former landfill site, is overgrown and unkempt and has become a hot spot for fly-tipping.

Now a group of residents, working with East Hampshire District Council, want to tidy it up, make it accessible to walkers and transform it into a nature reserve.

The proposal has been backed by a £31,588 grant from the SITA Trust, an organisation that funds community projects through a scheme called the Landfill Communities Fund. Plans for the land, next to the Heatherlands Playing Fields, include the planting of native trees, shrubs, bulbs and wildflowers; the clearing of brambles; the installing of birdboxes; the replacing of the boundary fence, and laying a path.

Richard Millard, the district council’s deputy leader and ward councillor for Headley, said: “This area of land really needs a bit of TLC and I am delighted to see this scheme take shape.

“We have a really enthusiastic group of residents who are happy to work with us to drive the scheme forward, and now we also have a substantial grant from the SITA Trust. Things are moving quickly.”

As a former landfill site, the council has commissioned a site investigation to assess the land.

Julie Butler, the district council’s portfolio holder for customer relations, said: “This is an exciting prospect for the residents of Heatherlands. With the hard work of the Headley Down Steering Group, the district council and SITA Trust, we will transform a neglected patch of land into something the whole community can benefit from.”

Angela Jackson, co-ordinator of the Headley Down Nature Reserve Project, said: “Now it’s time to ask all local residents for their support so that we can create a community project that is truly going to grow from the grass roots.”